Which memory stores data for fast access near the CPU?

Which memory stores data for fast access near the CPU?

• A. RAM
• B. ROM
• C. Cache
• D. Disk

Answer: (C)

The memory that stores data for fast access near the CPU is cache memory. Cache is a very small, extremely fast storage located close to the processor, so the CPU can grab data it needs immediately without reaching out to the main memory. It works by holding copies of frequently used data and instructions. When the CPU finds the needed data in cache, that’s called a cache hit and it’s much faster than fetching from RAM. If the data isn’t there, a cache miss occurs and the system must retrieve it from the slower main memory (RAM), which slows things down. RAM is the main working memory, larger and slower than cache but still fast enough for active programs. ROM stores firmware and is non-volatile, not used for rapid, frequent data access during program execution. Disk is long-term storage and much slower, used for saving data when not running.

The memory that stores data for fast access near the CPU is cache memory. Cache is a very small, extremely fast storage located close to the processor, so the CPU can grab data it needs immediately without reaching out to the main memory. It works by holding copies of frequently used data and instructions. When the CPU finds the needed data in cache, that’s called a cache hit and it’s much faster than fetching from RAM. If the data isn’t there, a cache miss occurs and the system must retrieve it from the slower main memory (RAM), which slows things down.

RAM is the main working memory, larger and slower than cache but still fast enough for active programs. ROM stores firmware and is non-volatile, not used for rapid, frequent data access during program execution. Disk is long-term storage and much slower, used for saving data when not running.